Connecticut western news., 1887-04-20


 among the toaons ia the county, and tt seems destined to realize in itself that most a,itiable and a6ject condition of helplessness aohen | from him t1at hath not shaW De tajen ecen that aohich Ae hath.'"*
 Now, gentlemen, this is a description of Litchfield Hill, given by the chief magis- trate of Connecticut, eight years ago.
 On the contrary the distinguished gentle man from New Haven says that it is not true that Litchfield is decaying town. He tells you it is one of the finest towns in New England, and village which spends an- nually $1OO,0OO or more in modern improvements, and is fast increasing in numbers, that it is grand and historic old place. MT. Harrison to-day endeavors to sustain Governor Andrews, in part, at least, by telling you that General George Washington once took breakfast there, and perhaps that is one of the most cogent req sons why we should always be obliged to go there to hold court.
 Let us for moment contrast this descrip- tion given by Governor Andrews in 1879 with the description given here by the dis tinguished gentlemen from Woodbury and New Haven. It sounds little strange and irreconcilable. And if those gentlemen in their arguments and statements exaggerate as much in this as in other points, you must make a little allowance for their en- tire statements. We are told to- day that it is rank treason and fanaticism to talk of removing this time -honored institution, the seat of justice, from Litchfield Hill, when Governor Andrews predicted this very event solemnly yet eloquently in his remarkable prophecy, in which he says, its more for tunate neighbors (meaning of course Win sted and New Milford) are already seeking to wrest from it the only local dignity which it has long held among the towns in the county" It remains for you gentlemen. and for this General Assembly to fulfill this re- markable prophecy by the passage of the bill under consideration. Now golden opportunity is presnted to you and the General Assembly to settle and put to rest forever the question which has annoyed Litchfield County for the past quarter of a century or more. An important consider ation which usually enters into controversies of this character is, will the county prop 1 erty be affected by the proposed change If it were true that Litchtield county had 1 invested $50, ,00O or $1OO,000 in county buildings at Litchfeld, a very serious con- sideration would arise. But that consider | ation can by you be set entirely aside. You | we'll understand that our historic courthouse has been destroyed by fire, our old jail has | been built 75 years, was condemned twelve years ago and prosecuted by the borough | of Litchfeld as nuisance, by the distin- guished gentleman from Woodbury within 5 or years. The property of Litchield County will be more valuable if the change proposed is made than if the county seat is allowed to remain on Litchfield Hill.
 The fact that Litchfeld hill has been the location of the Superior Court and the | InI f<xr Sc <>fA Al,< strongest arguments" that presents itself to you for the change The pioneers oi the county were agriculturists. and they settled upon the hillsides rather than in the valleys; and that characteristic Is to bt found not only in Litchfield County, but in all New England counties. The only means of conveyance then used were the sin gle horse and the saddle. The only carriage was the ox-cart in summer and tht OK sled in winter. There were no manu featuring industries in those days. The onl, manufacturing was done in the farm -hous, with spinning wheels for flax and wool. Blu to-day we are living in q different age The many wonderful inventions and dis
 coveries both mechanical and chemical, thu application of steam to machinery and mo
 tive power, the development of the grea
 water privileges, the extension of railroad
 
 change in our county and to-day the up
 lifted towns on these mighty hills lie ther
 as if in dream, while the towns and vii
 lages in the valleys hum aud buzz like 6 to]
 with manufacturing industries. To-day W
 find at least forty-f four thousand out o
 fifty-two thousand of the entire populatiol
 of the county in these valleys, and anothe important consideration is that Litchtiel Hill has no railroad facilities or public con veyances to reach these people. This not only question of to-day, but a ques tion the decision of which will extend f., into the future. You will take into consid !, ation where in all human probability tn increase of population will be in the future , Will it be in the hill towns or in those C the valleys, and along the lines of the raj roads
 Let us for a moment consider the locs ton of Litchfeld Hill in connection wit the topography of Litchfeld County. Go, ] ernor Andrews said 1t was a village almos l on the crown of the highest land in one ] our mountain counties. This is true. : is situated almost upon the highest poiI of land In the mountainous county of Litcl <. field, and believe it to be true that W - have the highest land in that county of au
 part of this state. In tho Housatonic va
 ley and valley towns Is population
 20, 900, and the population of the Naugatuc . valley towns is 24 ,00O. Now in travelln
 to Litchheld Hill these people go acro s the grain of the county. The mountains, Il valleys, the streams, ,and the railroads, ,ali ru d north and south. Whenever these peep 3 go out of the valleys they can go in no otl n CT way than up the sides of the hills au ), mountains, Litchfeld Hill is naturally il IS accessible. It always was. It will be, e the end of time. What are the railroad f d cilities The Shepaug railroad It is road running from Hawleyville to Litcl l. field. It is the only railroad that Lite e field Hill furnishes to the public. In Il n opening statement I said that not 5 D. n cent. of the population of Litchfield coun d enjoyed railroad facilities in going to a1 d coming from Litchfeld Hill. Will anyboe # undertake to say that this is an exagger Is ted statement ? Is it not true that the Il is not in that entire county, ? per cent. Il the population that is ,00O out of the 5( a 0OO-that to-day can enjoy railroad faciliti le in going to and from the present Coun ,e seat. The superintendent of the Shepa, l. railroad, who controlled it for eight year i- came here as a witness for Litchtield fiji D. and told you that he never, during his a ,e ministration, made out timetable or r, 70 train in the interest of Litchfe1d count is The Housatonic valley, is the only pt of tion of Litchtield county that the Shepa 1e road can possibly accommodate. We ha e. proved to you that out of this valley the er are not 20 people in the twelve mont
 that patronize the all rail route to Litchfe ;e, Hill. Life is too short to take more tn